Sony’s XDCAM workshops debut at Sundance

XDCAM’s media reusability played a large role in the Sundance Composers Lab, where use of a disc instead of tape proved to be a time-saver.

Sony’s XDCAM Professional Disc system got a workout in Sundance, UT, this summer in two of the Sundance Institute’s annual workshops: the Filmmakers Lab and Composers Lab.

For the recently completed Filmmaker’s Lab, five XDCAM PDW-530 camcorders were used on a rotating basis. Lab participants worked with the in-camera editing capabilities and reviewed video takes as thumbnails on the camcorder’s LCD screen.

The XDCAM system — which allows video to be instantly available — compressed the timetable for filmmakers, who are often under tight deadlines at Sundance.

XDCAM’s media reusability played a large role in the Sundance Composers Lab, where the use of an optical disc instead of tape proved to be a big time-saver. The footage captured on the discs during the Filmmakers Lab was later used by composers to attach music scores to the picture material.

The goal of the Sundance Filmmakers Lab is to give directors and DPs a chance to workshop their screenplays. Each year, eight to 10 filmmakers come to the lab to work out the most problematic scenes in their screenplays in a collaborative and creative environment.